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As an art instructor, I don't wish to hide the fact that I crash and burn often. I will always be learning. So, it all gets shown here . . .good and bad. Every painting we do counts in the learning and experience process. The failures actually are much better teachers than successes. Every piece made is a teacher. That's the fun of it: the challenge to learn.

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Awakening to The Light

"Oblivious"

Watercolor 22 x 15 inches

May 23 was the date of my last post. It was the day before my wife and I left on a fabulous road trip, from which I only just returned, which included lots of painting.

We drove south down the eastern side of California after crossing the Sierras over a 9900 foot elevation pass which is only open three to four months of the year (lotsa snow!) One of the great parts of the trip was to meet with several other painters in Santa Fe, New Mexico then on to a wonderful three days of continuous painting together at Ghost Ranch . . . .the famous retreat of Georgia O'Keeffe.

I learned something on this trip. To get out of bed before sun up and get outdoors just as the sun is coming over the horizon. I know that sounds rather silly to be blogging about, but I must say that there are paintings everywhere at that time of the day . . . . .the light is coming in horizontally with a golden hue that seems to make everything glow. Mind you, I would much rather sit about in a leisurely way drinking my morning coffee and begin the days operations around 8 to 9 AM. Shadows are so very dramatic at that time of day which set up completely unique value schemes for dramatic compositions that I could never have imagined.

The painting above of a baker taking a break at that time of day was but a single incident caught on my camera on one of those days. There are few people out at that time, but those who are are usually "interesting" in some unique way. If you are wondering why I found this time of day so special, I can explain easily . . . . . .I live in a part of the world where fog is the order of nearly every day in the early mornings. Being close to the edge of the ocean has its pleasures, but golden sunny mornings are somewhat rare. Early risers face cool gray, overcast mornings where there is little shadow. Being in the southwest was a glorious change for me as a painter.

By the way, this painting, like most all of my paintings, was an experiment. The challenge with this painting was to make the figure on the hydrant appear to be close to the viewer without using some absurd dramatic effect. If you can imagine him to be in the foreground while all else in the picture space to be in the "background" (a term I rarely use), you will quickly understand my painting strategy as I explain it here: To use all transparent watercolor on the entire background and to push the colors there toward cool, neutral grays. If there was color there, the intention was to take the "edge" of the color saturation and press it toward cool. Additionally, to reduce the amount of contrast in the back ground so there would not be attention grabbing distractions there. To bring the subject forward and to have him appear closer, I painted him entirely with gouache . . . .very opaque watercolor . . . . . his opacity versus the transparency of the background brings him forward in the picture space almost to the extent that the viewer has a sense of wanting to touch the figure.

I have been playing with this strategy for some time and find the different opaqueness of the parts of the paintings to be a most valuable tool. I am using it more and more in my work.

Thanks to digital cameras, I came home with virtually hundreds of reference photos with some very dramatic scenery full of amazing light and shadow. And, since being home, I have been stowed away in my studio furiously slobbering paint on various surfaces. A most exciting time!!

I have been doing some color experiments lately and was just wondering if you think you could have done the same thing with pure watercolor hues instead of the opaque paint? The use of subdued, nutralized color in the background against the purer forground color...could that work? Just interested in your opinion.I love the painting.

Anne Hightower-Pattersonpatter816@aol.com

PS We met at Kanuga several years back, but I am certain you have no memory of me.

Yes, Anne, there are more than one way to skin the cat, so to speak. Your thoughts are completely valid. I just chose this path as an experiment. What I learned from it is that the subject seems more solid or to have more mass than the transparent parts of the composition. It is just another way to insert a subtle contrast that the viewer may not notice. The transparent approach is just as valid.

About Me

High energy,enthusiastic about everything, positive and devoted to learning and growing in the field of art. Willing to share what little I know about painting. . .so I teach workshops and have a wonderful time doing it.
I am a signature member of and have received high awards from The National Watercolor Society. Recently, my work has been accepted and exhibited by the American Watercolor Society in New York city and in the International Watercolor Competition in Shanghai China.
WAIT! There's more on my website at www.mebaileyart.com